Driver Licensing in Ireland

  

• Renting a Vehicle
• EU/EEA Drivers Licences
• Non EU/EEA Drivers Licences
• How to Exchange Your Foreign Drivers Licence for an Irish Drivers Licence
• How to Apply for an Irish Drivers Licence

Renting a Vehicle

When renting a vehicle you will need a full driver’s licence from the country that you reside in. However, typically you must have held that licence for 2 years. Drivers aged between 21 – 25 years and 70 – 75 years are usually subject to special conditions.

Non-EU/EEA driving licences cannot be accepted if the holder has been a resident in Ireland for more than 12 months (see below about exchanging your foreign drivers licence).Driver Licensing in Ireland

Typically, an International Driving License is required if your national driver’s license is not in Roman script. International Driving Permits must be accompanied by the original domestic licence of the driver. Those that accept non Roman script licences will require an English translation. Always read the fine print of the car hire contract before confirming your booking.

EU/EEA Drivers Licences

If you have an EU/EEA driver’s licence you may continue to drive in Ireland on your current licence. You can exchange it for an Irish drivers licence when it expires.

Non EU/EEA Drivers Licences

If you have a licence from a country outside of the EU/EEA, then you may drive on your driver’s licence in Ireland for 12 months. However, after the 12 month period you need to apply to have your driver’s licence changed to an Irish one.Driver Licensing in Ireland

How to Exchange Your Foreign Driving Licence for an Irish Driving Licence

Are You Eligible to Exchange Your Foreign Driving Licence for an Irish Driving Licence?

To be eligible to exchange your driver’s licence for an Irish one you must:

• Permanently reside in Ireland for at least 185 days per year.
• Lived in Ireland for the 12 months prior to applying for the exchange.
• Have an Irish PPS number.
• Have a driver’s licence from one of the following countries.
  • Australia (Victorian licence holders must sign a declaration to allow Vic Roads licensing authority to release information to the NDLS if required)
  • British Columbia Province of Canada (the category of your licence will determine the category of Irish Licence you will receive)
  • Gibraltar
  • Guernsey
  • Isle of Man
  • Japan (a certified translation of the document is required)
  • Jersey
  • Manitoba Province of Canada (Manitoba licence holders can exchange a Class 5, I of F driving licence for the category B car restricted to automatic transmission, Class 6, stage I and F driving licence for the category A1 small motorcycle.
  • New Zealand (Motorcycle and Car are the only)
  • Newfoundland and Labrador Province of Canada (the category of your licence will determine the category of Irish Licence you will receive)
  • Ontario Province of Canada (Ontario licence holders can exchange a G or G2 driving licence for the category B car restricted to automatic transmission.)
  • South Africa
  • South Korea (a certified translation of the document is required)
  • Switzerland
  • Taiwan (Motorcycle & Car are the only)

If you do not have a driver’s licence from one of these listed countries, you will need to apply for an Irish drivers licence by completing the full Irish driver licensing procedure.

To exchange your driving licence for an Irish one, you need to make an appointment at the NDLS, which you can do online.